Children need vitamins and minerals to grow. Calcium and vitamin D are required to build strong bones and teeth. Omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are needed for brain, eye and immune development and function. Lutein and zeaxanthin and vitamin A are needed for visual development and eyesight. B vitamins are needed to access the energy consumed from macronutrients – carbohydrate, protein and fat. What happens when children are undernourished?

In a 12 week double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT), Tamman and colleagues tested the effect of vitamin-mineral and omega-3 supplementation (vs placebo) in 196 children (13-16y) living in the UK. These were normal, healthy adolescents. They measured red blood cell (RBC) omega-3 concentrations, vitamin concentrations, and behaviourial changes.

The stunning observation is the extremely low RBC omega-3 concentrations at baseline and the range of vitamin and mineral concentrations measured in these adolescents. The average baseline omega-3 index was between 3.87 to 4.02. Omega-3 supplementation increased the omega-3 index to 5.5 whereas the placebo group remained low (3.69). Baseline concentrations for vitamins and minerals were: vitamin C (60-62 µmol/L), vitamin D (46-61 µmol/L), and folate (10.5 µg/L), and ferritin (38-39 µg/L). Standard deviations were large, indicating many youth had nutritional concentrations far below the mean.

Is it far-fetched to think that vitamin and mineral status may also affect adolescent brain development and behavior? I think not. Without doubt, adolescents will not achieve their full potential without nutrients essential for the development of their brains, eyes, and bodies.